United States. Wacker Chemie reported that it is expanding its existing production facilities for vinyl acetate (VAE) ethylene copolymer dispersions in the United States. The Munich-based chemical company will add a new reactor with an annual capacity of 85,000 metric tons at its Calvert City headquarters, investing an amount of around €50 million in the site's capacity and infrastructure.
The company said that this makes the complex the largest of its kind in the Americas. The new reactor is scheduled to become operational in mid-2015.
The additional annual capacity of 85,000 tons in the production of VAE dispersions will be used for applications in paints and coatings, adhesives, construction, paper, carpets, among other sectors.
"Capacity expansion is essential if we want to meet our customers' demand for our dispersions in the coming years," Rudolf Staudigl, CEO of Wacker Chemie AG, explained about the reason for the investment. "After extending our dispersion capabilities at our headquarters in South Korea and China over the course of the past two years, we have gone ahead with the expansion of our production in the U.S., too. Therefore, we will be able to maintain the future growth pace of the market and strengthen our leading position in VAE dispersions," said Staudigl.
